The Atlantic Health Patient Transfer Center coordinates transfers of patients from outside hospitals and health care facilities to Atlantic Health hospitals including:
- CentraState Medical Center
- Chilton Medical Center
- Goryeb Children’s Hospital
- Hackettstown Medical Center
- Morristown Medical Center
- Newton Medical Center
- Overlook Medical Center
The transfer center provides a single point of contact for physicians and health care facilities requesting transfer of a patient who requires specialized or higher-level care.
All transfers require a physician-to-physician consultation, which is coordinated by the transfer center. The center is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by experienced transfer nurse coordinators who facilitate communication and help ensure a smooth and efficient process.
How the patient transfer center works
When a transfer request is received, the patient transfer center:
- Coordinates the transfer process via a single point of contact
- Facilitates physician-to-physician communication between the sending and receiving providers
- Identifies an appropriate receiving specialist based upon the patient’s condition
- Secures and assigns an appropriate level of inpatient bed
- Facilitates RN-to-RN report to provide a safe clinical handoff
- Coordinates transportation based on patient needs, including critical care air (helicopter or fixed wing) and ground transport
- Supports specialized transport needs such as ventilator, intra-aortic balloon pump (AIBP) and ventriculostomy patients
- Provides updates and facilitates communication among involved clinical teams
- Coordinates with sending facility to review insurance requirements, such as eligibility and authorizations, for non-emergent cases
- Assists with compliance with applicable health care access regulations
- Helps coordinate out-of-state or international transfers for Atlantic Health patients who become ill or injured while travelling.
Accessing the patient transfer center
Patient transfers to our hospitals must be initiated by the treating physician or sending health care facility.
To request a transfer, the following information is typically required:
- Patient’s name, diagnosis and reason for transfer
- Sending hospital’s name and sending unit phone number
- Sending physician’s name and contact information
- Current clinical status of the patient
The sending facility may also be asked to fax the patient's face sheet and relevant clinical documentation to the patient transfer center.